The town of Yewang looked untouched by the Celestial Collapse — stone walls intact, markets open, cultivators wandering in modest robes. If not for the pale mist coiled above the streets, Xuanzang might have believed the war never reached here.
They passed through the gates in silence. A dozen eyes tracked them from alleys and rooftops. At first glance, the town seemed ordinary.
But Xuanzang felt it instantly:
[System Observation Active – Region: Yewang Township]Civic Alignment: Neutral | Karmic Flow: Stable (Artificial Suppression)]System Presence: 53% of population possess active low-tier systems]
Wukong noticed too. "These people... they worship the System like a blessing."
"They fear it," Wujing said, scanning the quiet stares. "When Heaven fell, the systems stayed. That made them gods by accident."
Xuanzang kept walking, hands clasped inside his sleeves.
He could feel it. Whispers fluttered behind every step:
"That's him — the monk with companions.""They say he carries scripture.""He passed divine lightning without burning."
In the town square, a shrine stood—not to any immortal, but to a System Terminal, shaped like an orb of brass and jade. Offerings of rice, tokens, and spirit-scribed prayers surrounded it.
Bajie muttered, "These people are praying to their quest logs."
A sharp voice answered.
"They do what they must."
A woman stepped out from the shrine's side door. Her robes were black and green, adorned with copper-threaded seals. Unlike the townsfolk, she carried a sword — unadorned, but clean. Her eyes were sharp as a fresh cut.
[Character Identified: Ru Lian – System Magistrate of Yewang]Cultivation: Mid Core Formation | System Role: World Harmonizer]Disposition: Cautious Respect]
She bowed shallowly.
"Scripture-bearer," she said. "Your arrival was predicted."
Xuanzang returned the bow. "Predicted, or system-notified?"
"Both." She gestured. "Please. My hall is secure. And we should speak before the town's memory twists you into a messiah."
🏯 Magistrate's Hall – Later
Tea was served in silence.
Ru Lian spoke only after her guards left the room.
"You carry a scripture fragment," she said. "The town's system resonated the moment you crossed the threshold."
Xuanzang nodded. "We're not here to claim faith or followers."
"I know. But that won't matter. People need myths. They'll build one from your shadow whether you want it or not."
She poured tea into five cups — one for each of them.
"Do you know what fragment you carry?" she asked.
Xuanzang took a sip. "Judgment's Mercy."
Her brow lifted slightly. "Then you should understand why the next fragment is dangerous."
Wukong leaned forward. "You know where it is?"
"I know where it was." She placed a scroll on the table and unrolled it — a map of the surrounding mountains.
"There's a temple built atop the carcass of a fallen divine beast. Locals call it the Whispering Maw. For years it was sealed, but recently... something began calling out. Systems glitch when approaching it. Karma bends sideways."
She tapped a location with her finger.
[New Quest Location Unlocked – "Whispering Maw Temple"]Estimated Fragment Resonance: 68% | Spiritual Hazard: High]
Xuanzang's system flared softly in confirmation.
Side Quest: Investigate the Whispering MawOptional Objective: Stabilize system fields to protect local cultivators.]
Ru Lian stood. "I won't order you. But I also won't stop the stories that will follow."
Wujing spoke for the first time in hours.
"They'll believe what they need to believe."
Xuanzang looked at his companions. All of them had walked through judgment. All had survived. And yet none had escaped unchanged.
He rose slowly.
"Then we walk again."